Construction should began soon to turn the Clutch Works property at 1486 Tremont St. into residential apartment units and retail space, according to Mitch Wilson and Jason Savage, two developers for the project.
“We are anticipating starting construction in the next few months,” said Savage.
Wilson said that the project is expected to take about 16 to 18 months to complete.
Clutch Works, the business that formerly occupied the location, was an auto supply store with a large parking lot around it. An investigation led to the discovery of lead paint and building materials containing asbestos, and the demolition proposal promises to safely dispose of those materials.
The new building will have four stories and 66 apartments, including studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units with optional indoor garage spaces. The developers agreed not to lease units to full-time undergraduate students in response to community concerns. The building is also required to provide one affordable unit, which is slated to be a studio apartment at 70 percent of area median income.
The building will also have ground-level retail space that might be two units or divided into four units. Wilson said they want active retail, such as a restaurant, instead of an office in that space. The developers have set the building back to allow for outdoor seating in case a restaurant goes into the space.